Signed by Governor Paul LePage

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that prohibits voters from registering to vote in person after close of business on the third day prior to Election Day.

Highlights:

• Requires all voter registration applications submitted by mail or by a third party to be received by close of business on the twenty-first day before Election Day (Sec. 4).

• Requires all voter registration applications submitted in person to be received by close of the registrar's hours on the third day before Election Day (Sec. 4).

• Requires the registrar to remain open for the following minimum hours on the third day before Election Day (Sec. 6):
• For at least 2 hours in municipalities with 500 or fewer residents;
• For at least 4 hours in municipalities with between 500 and 2,500 residents; or
• For at least 6 hours, including at least 2 hours in the evening between 5:00pm and 9:00pm in municipalities with 2,500 or more residents.

• Authorizes voters to report a change of name and address up to and including the date of Election Day, whereas existing law required voters to report this information prior to the close of registration (Sec. 12).

• Establishes restrictions for absentee ballots including, but not limited to, the following (Sec. 23):
• The clerk may not issue an absentee ballot to any immediate family member or third party who requests the ballot over the telephone;
• The clerk may not issue an absentee ballot to a third party who has already been issued 5 absentee ballots for voters in the municipality, unless the third party has returned one of those ballots; and
• The clerk may not issue an absentee ballot to any voter, immediate family member, or third party whose request was received in the municipal office after the third business day before Election Day unless the voter signs an applications stating one of the following reasons for requesting an absentee ballot:
• The voter is unexpectedly absent for the entire time polls are open on Election Day;
• The voter is disabled and unable to leave home on Election Day; or
• The voter is unable to travel to the polls because the voter is a resident of a coastal island ward or precinct.

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that prohibits voters from registering to vote in person after close of business on the third day prior to Election Day.

Highlights:

• Requires all voter registration applications submitted by mail or by a third party to be received by close of business on the twenty-first day before Election Day (Sec. 4).

• Requires all voter registration applications submitted in person to be received by close of the registrar's hours on the third day before Election Day (Sec. 4).

• Requires the registrar to remain open for the following minimum hours on the third day before Election Day (Sec. 6):
• For at least 2 hours in municipalities with 500 or fewer residents;
• For at least 4 hours in municipalities with between 500 and 2,500 residents; or
• For at least 6 hours, including at least 2 hours in the evening between 5:00pm and 9:00pm in municipalities with 2,500 or more residents.

• Authorizes voters to report a change of name and address up to and including the date of Election Day, whereas existing law required voters to report this information prior to the close of registration (Sec. 12).

• Establishes restrictions for absentee ballots including, but not limited to, the following (Sec. 23):
• The clerk may not issue an absentee ballot to any immediate family member or third party who requests the ballot over the telephone;
• The clerk may not issue an absentee ballot to a third party who has already been issued 5 absentee ballots for voters in the municipality, unless the third party has returned one of those ballots; and
• The clerk may not issue an absentee ballot to any voter, immediate family member, or third party whose request was received in the municipal office after the third business day before Election Day unless the voter signs an applications stating one of the following reasons for requesting an absentee ballot:
• The voter is unexpectedly absent for the entire time polls are open on Election Day;
• The voter is disabled and unable to leave home on Election Day; or
• The voter is unable to travel to the polls because the voter is a resident of a coastal island ward or precinct.

Full Bill Text